Mauvoisin Dam provides a hydraulic head of 482 m (1,581 ft) to the Fionnay generating station, which can produce 138 MW from three Francis turbines.

The water then drops another 1,014 m (3,327 ft) to the Riddes generating station, where it drives five Pelton turbines with a combined capacity of 225 MW.

The dam helps protect the Bagnes and Rhône river valleys from glacial lake outburst floods such as ones that occurred in 1595 and 1818.

[4][5] The dam also traps about 300,000 m3 (390,000 cu yd) of sediment each year, helping to extend the life of downstream hydroelectric plants.

28-year-old Australian Derek Herron (from the YouTube channel How Ridiculous) launched a basketball from the top of the dam, where it fell 180 metres (590 ft) directly into a net placed on the ground below.